Boko Haram: Coalition sends message to NASS over international NGOs ‘leaking military details to insurgents’
http://www.hrlnews.com/2019/10/boko-haram-coalition-sends-message-to.html
A coalition of civil society organizations, under the aegis of Save
Humanity Advocacy Centre and the Centre for International and Strategy
Studies, has asked the National Assembly to thoroughly investigate the
activities of some international Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs,
operating in the North-Eastern part of the country.
They made the call in response to a revelation by a human rights group that some of the NGOs were passing classified information to members of the Boko Haram insurgents.
The coalition made the appeal in a letter entitled: “The despicable
actions by international NGOS and their local franchise in support of
Boko Haram and the need for urgent legislation to ban their activities”
and jointly signed by Ibrahim Abubakar of the Save Humanity Advocacy
Centre and Ifure Ataifure of the Centre for International and Strategy
Studies.
According to the bodies, the leadership of the 9th Assembly should
enact laws that would curtail the excesses of the international NGOs
operating in North-East Nigeria.
The letter reads: “We bring warm greetings to the leadership of the
National Assembly in Nigeria and also to commend the Distinguished
Senate President on the sound leadership it has provided since the
commencement of the 9th Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Dear Senate President, as you may be aware, Nigerian has been
grappling with the activities of terrorist groups in North-East Nigeria,
which has resulted in the wanton loss of lives and destruction of
properties.
“This undeniable fact is such that all well-meaning Nigerians must
see to the end of terrorist activities in Nigeria if we are desirable of
achieving peace and tranquillity in the country through our actions and
inactions.
“The Boko Haram conflict in North-East Nigeria has festered for the
past ten years since the group took up a violent campaign against the
constituted authorities in Nigeria and consequently led to the loss of
lives and properties and a disruption of the development of the economy
of North-East Nigeria.
“Dear Senate President, it is a known fact that the Nigerian Military
has been at the forefront in the fight against terrorism in North-East
Nigeria, and all and sundry have commended this much in the country.
“Dear Senate President, it must be stated in unequivocal terms that
the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group in North-East Nigeria
are buoyed by the fact that some individuals and organizations
masquerading under various nomenclatures have been covertly giving
tactic support to the Boko Haram terrorist group.
“These individuals and organizations have perfected the act in such a
way that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Authorities in the fight
against terrorism, the Boko Haram terrorist group have continued to
enjoy financial, logistics as well as intelligence support from these
groups.
“Dear Senate President, it must be stated that since the advent of
the present administration in Nigeria in 2015, lots of efforts have been
put into ending the Boko Haram crisis in North-East Nigeria by the
display of a strong political will as well as a significant improvement
of the operational capacity and efficiency of the Armed Forces in the
country.
“The Senate President may at this point wish to note that the
activities of some Non-Governmental Organisations operating in
North-East Nigeria have been suspect in recent times.
“It has also been proven beyond reasonable doubt that these NGOs have
been covertly giving tactic support to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist
group and this has led to the resurgence of the group operating on the
fringes of the Lake Chad Basin region. They have been providing
financial and logistics support in the area of food and drug supplies.
“Dear Senate President, as despicable as this might sound, the
activities of some international NGOs in North-East Nigeria are causing
more harm than good, and as such, there is a need for urgent and
proactive steps to be taken towards arresting this anomaly.
“Their fraudulent activities have continued to fuel the crisis in the
northeast region and thereby frustrating the efforts of the Nigerian
Military in its quest to clearing the remnants of the Boko Haram/ISWAP
terrorist group.
“Dear Senate President, it must be stated that if urgent measures are
not taken to address the nefarious activities of the international NGOs
operating in North-East Nigeria, Nigeria might continue to grapple with
the nefarious activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.
“It is, therefore, our considered opinion that the National Assembly
must not be seen as shying away from its responsibility of contributing
to sustainable peace in Nigeria through the instrument of effective
legislations that would restrict the activities of these NGOs that have
been aiding and abetting Boko Haram/ISWAP activities in North-East
Nigeria.
“Dear Senate President, the urgency of now requires that the National
Assembly under your dynamic leadership begins the process of initiating
legislation that would curtail the nefarious activities of these
international NGOs that do not mean well for the unity of the country.
The National Assembly must act now in the interest of peace in Nigeria
and in fulfilment of its constitutionally recognised mandate in the
entrenchment of peace and unity in Nigeria.
“Dear Senate President, we are consequently by this letter urging you
to use your good office to see to the enactment of laws that would
curtail the excesses of the international NGOs operating in North-East
Nigeria.
“Dear Senate President, if the activities of these NGOs are not
curtailed in good time, the Boko Haram/ISWAP activities would continue
to fester at the detriment of peace and tranquillity in Nigeria.
“The urgency of now requires all hands to be on deck, and as such, it
behoves on the leadership of the National Assembly under your
leadership rise to this occasion in this critical point of our
existence.”
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